Senator Loren Legarda has filed a resolution seeking a Senate inquiry into the reported killings and acts of violence against Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Legarda initiated the move following the brutal killing of Teduray-Lambangian tribal chieftain Fernando Promboy, whose beheaded body was found near a water reservoir in Maguindanao del Sur last Feb. 19, 2025.
Promboy, the senator said, is a respected community leader known for his firm stance against armed encroachments on ancestral lands.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 1329, Legarda said it is imperative for lawmakers to look into the situation and security of the NMIPs in the area.
The resolution directs the Senate to assess the full range of challenges faced by NMIPs in BARMM, including barriers to accessing justice, the adequacy of existing protection programs, and the urgent need for strengthened legal and policy interventions that ensure the full inclusion of NMIPs in the peace and development agenda of both the Bangsamoro region and the broader national framework.
“These significant discrepancies among the records highlight the urgent need for independent validation, comprehensive investigation, and reinforced protection measures to hold perpetrators accountable while safeguarding NMIPs from further risks, threats, endangerment, and violence,” Legarda stated.
The Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG) and Climate Conflict Action (CCAA), she said, have documented at least 84 NMIP killings from 2014 to 2024, including 12 leaders, seven youth, and eight women. The Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) recorded 36 NMIP killings during the same period.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in its 2024 Situation Report, said there were 65 males, seven females, and seven youth victims between 2018 and 2024.
Legarda also emphasized the need to implement the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples’ Act of 2024, which the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) approved last Dec. 10, 2024.
She said this Code must be implemented effectively, with clear operational mechanisms that prioritize the protection of the rights and safety of NMIPs.
“Beyond ensuring accountability for specific incidents of violence, there is a pressing need to reinforce the rule of law and establish clear, enforceable mechanisms that safeguard the rights and security of NMIPs without exacerbating tensions or exposing communities to further vulnerabilities,” stressed Legarda, former chairman of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities.